Atalaya Search and Rescue

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On Thursday, July 17, 2025 at 5:42pm, ASAR was called out for a lost 73 year old male in the Pecos Wilderness north of Cowles, NM. The subject self-reported via InReach to have lost the trail in the downfall of the Jaroso Fire burn scar and was potentially non-ambulatory from a leg injury.

After ground teams, which included Skyline Search and Rescue and Los Alamos Auxiliary Fire Brigade hiked 5 miles into the wilderness, they were able to locate the subject at the exact pinpoint provided by the Garmin InReach location ping. He was out of water, had minimal food, was cold, and most of his clothes and gear were wet from a powerful afternoon monsoon that had swept over the burn scar. After assessing his leg, it was determined that he could attempt to hike out under his own power.

After a few miles of dense uphill bushwhacking, the subject was loaded into the wheeled litter for the remaining 4 mile descent. The subject was safely delivered to his car around 5:15am and all responders were signed out by 5:45am.

Hiking in the Pecos area of Santa Fe National Forest during the summer exposes backpackers to a host of hazards including lightning, flash floods, downfall from recent wildfires, and extended response times in the event of an emergency. The subject in this case was prepared with a Garmin InReach which led rescuers to his exact location, and he wisely didn’t move after reporting his location. There actions help to speed the rescue process.

Thank you to SkylineSAR and LAAFB for helping deliver a lost subject back to his loved ones.

💫Volunteer Spotlight💫

Meet another member of our team, Ryan!

"Hola! My name is Ryan LaMonica, and I joined ASAR in 2020. I first discovered the outdoors during college with frequent trips to New Hampshire's White Mountains. During my junior year, a winter hike turned into a risky overnight rescue for a friend who lost footing on ice and slid over a cliff. The injuries were moderate, but the overnight temperatures were in the single digits. It was my first real experience with the secret network of search and rescue volunteers who miraculously appear in the night when called upon, even in the most uncomfortable and austere of environments. When I moved to Santa Fe, I decided I wanted to be part of this same system that saved my friend. My favorite part of SAR is working with people with a variety of professional backgrounds and recreational interests who are willing to sacrifice their free time for the well-being of complete strangers. Outside of SAR, I work as an R&D Engineer at Los Alamos National Laboratory. During my free time, my favorite activities include whatever gets me ready for the next big mountaineering objective, which is usually a combination of trail running, rock climbing, skiing, and ice climbing."